College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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San Bernardino Valley College

San Bernardino, CA 11,106 Undergrads 23.2% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$14,655
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$8,234
After Aid
Median Earnings
$39,676
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$8,234
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$39,676
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate23.2%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients29.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time24.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS55.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$424k
+$99k
-$60k
Median Cost$8k/yr
+$416k
+$92k
-$68k
Full Cost$15k/yr
+$410k
+$86k
-$74k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$8k/yr
Never
-891%
Full Cost$15k/yr
Never
-545%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
  • Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
  • Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
  • NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return-896%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return-220%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Certificates

Criminal Justice and Corrections
CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$72,030
Lifetime Value Added
+$294k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,329
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,104
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Biological and Physical Sciences
AssocCIP: 3001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,292
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Biology, General
AssocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$33,479
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,090
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,855
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Education, General
AssocCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,548
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$28,231
Lifetime Value Added
-$193k
Human Services, General
AssocCIP: 4400
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,529
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,199
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$76,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$307k
Psychology, General
AssocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,530
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$90,406
Lifetime Value Added
+$388k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.